Trolley-wheel harp.



W; M. GASWELL.

TBOLL'EY WHEEL HARP.

APPLICATION FILED mm: a, 1908.

920,269. Patented May4, 1909.

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atl'ouwqo W. M. GASWELL. TROLLEY WHEEL HARP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1908.

' Patented May 4, 1909.

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WILLIAM M. OASWELL, OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA.

TROLLEY-WHEEL HARP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May a, 1909.

Application filed June 8, 1908. Serial No. 437,361.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. CAswELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Warren, in the county of Warren and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-"l VheclHarps and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in trolley wheel harps.

The object of the invention is to rovide a trolley wheel harp havingformec therein chambers adapted to contain lubricating oil, suchchambers teing provided with pockets so arranged as to prevent theescape of oil, no matter what position the harp may assume.

A further object is to provide a device of this character havingarranged therein an improved construction of trolley wheel bearings, andmeans in said bearings to feed the oil thereto from the oil chambers inthe harp.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts aswill he described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Eigure 1 is a side view of a trolley wheelharp constructed in accordance with the invention; 2 is a plan view ofthe same; 3 is a vertical sectional view through one side of the harpand the bearing blocks and journals of the trolley Wheel; Fig. 4 is atransverse sectional view taken on the line with the center of thetrolley Wheel journals; lTig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalview through the center of the harp with the wheel removed; Fig. 6 is adetail plan view of the wheel and its journals; and Fig. 7 is a detailperspective view of one of the ournal boxes removed from the harpshowing the manner of fastening the lubricating wick thereto. Referringmore particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the harp having on one enda socket, 2, to receive the end of the trolley pole to which the harp issecured in any suitable manner. The forks, 3, of the harp are providedon one side with lateral projections, said forks and projections beinghollow to provide oil chambers, 4, which are extended toward the socketend of the fork and form pockets, 5, which are partly separated from thechambers, 4, by partitions, 6. The forks are provided with squaredseats, 7, which open through one side of the forks and adapted toreceive bearing blocks, 8, which are removably arranged therein toreceive the journals of the trolley wheel. To one side of the bearingblock seats, 7, and adjacent to the partition, 6, is formed a passage,9, which is designed to permit the insertion of oil into the chambers,4.

The side of the harp opposite to the extensions which form the oilchambers is flat and on said i lat side are pivotally mounted coverplates, 10, said plates being pivoted at their lower ends and providedat their opposite ends with hooks, 12, adapted to be engaged withfastening lugs, 13, formed on the upper ends of the forks, as shown. Thelugs, 13, and hooked ends of the cover plates, 10, are provided withalined passages, 14, adapted to receive cotter pins, 15, or othersuitable fastening devices whereby the cover plates are held inoperative position to close the upper open ends of the oil chambers andseats of the bearing blocks. On the inner edges of the cover plates, 10,are formed laterally projecting inwardly curved guard flanges, 16,which, when the cover plates are in a closed position, are adapted toproject into close proximity to the sides of the trolley wheel and serveto prevent the trolley wire from catching on the flat sides of the forkswhen the wheel becomes disengaged from the wire.

The trolley wheel, 17, may be of the usual or any desired constructionand in the hub of the same is rigidly secured a shaft or axle, 18, oneach end of which are formed cylindrical heads or journals, 19, adaptedto enter and turn in the bearing boxes, 8. The axle or shaft, 18, isreduced between the journals, 19, and the adjacent ends of the harp,said reduced portion being adapted to engage notches or recesses, 20,formed in the op osite inner walls of the forks, said notches beingarranged in the center of the seats 7 for the bearing boxes.

The bearing blocks 8 may be formed of any suitable metal and are ofrectangular or other suitable shape and provided with a centrallydisposed circular bearing aperture, 21. In two of the meeting edges ofthe block are formed grooves or channels, 22, adapted to receive alubricating wick, 23, one end of which is secured in a hole, 24, formedthrough one corner of the block and communicating with one of thegrooves, 22, as shown. In the other roove of the block is formed anelongated opening, 25, with which the wick is engaged when arranged inthe grooves. The portion of the wick which enters the opening, 25, isadapted to engage the upper side of the bearing head or journal of thetrolley wheel, and in this manner applies the oil to the hearing. Thefree end of the wick is adapted to project down into the oil chamber,from which it takes up the oil by capillary attraction.

By providing a trolley Wheel harp With oil chambers and blocksconstructed and ar ranged as herein shown and described, the oil will beprevented from escaping from the chambers, no matter what position theharp may assume. By providing the bearing blocks and oil conductingwicks arranged as herein shown and described, a continuous and uniformsupply of oil is applied to the journals of the trolley Wheel, thuskeeping the same properly lubricated at all times.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

ducting wick arranged in said groove and opening and adapted to conductthe oil from said oil chambers and apply the same to said journalsthrough the opening in the top of the block, substantially as described.

2. In a trolley wheel harp, hollow forks having arranged therein an oilchamber and on the outer ends of said shaft to engage said bearingblocks, and lubricating wicks connected't'o said block and projectinginto said oil chambers whereby the oil is conducted to said journals,substantially as described.

3. In a trolley wheel harp, hollow forks having formed therein oilchambers and oil receiving pockets, seats formed in said chambers,bearing blocks arranged in said seats, means to conduct the oil fromsaid oil chambers and pockets to said bearing blocks, a trolley wheelhaving journals to engage said blocks, pivoted cover plates arranged onsaid forks to cover and close the oil chambers and seats therein, andinwardly curved guard flanges formed on the inner edges of said coverplates to prevent the trolley wire from catching into the forks of theharp when the wheel is disengaged from the wire.

4. A trolley wheel harp having oil chambers and pockets in its forks,bearing block seats formed in said chambers, bearing blocks arranged insaid seats, said blocks raving grooves formed in their edges, one ofsaid grooves opening through and communicating with the bearing openingformed in the block whereby an oil passage is provided, and meanswhereby oil is conducted to said passage from the pockets and chambersin the harp, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

W'ILLIAM M. (HIS WELL. Witnesses ANDREW VJEoKsTRoM, JOHN E. VVHEELER.

